


found family (is the best family)

by whistlingwindtree



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Ableist Language, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, Found Family, Gen, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-06-30
Packaged: 2020-05-13 02:09:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19241680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whistlingwindtree/pseuds/whistlingwindtree
Summary: Daisy saves Gabe, then makes friends with Robbie along the way.





	found family (is the best family)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [soulofevil](https://archiveofourown.org/users/soulofevil/gifts).



> thanks to my dearest [soulofevil](https://soulofevil.tumblr.com/) for always sending me prompts! I took liberties with this one _You help a lost child find their parent together._

Daisy Johnson slurped the last of her java chip frappuccino before chucking it into a nearby bin. It was a rare treat on an even rarer day off but she deserved it. 

A foster kid who’d aged out the system, Daisy was paying her way for IT certifications with three part-time jobs and living in her van to save on rent and right now she was cruising the mall to get out of the sweltering heat. She was at the edge of the food court now, deciding if to get a cinnamon sugar pretzel when a burst of raucous laughter near the mall exit doors caught her attention.

A group of young men, with the colors of a local gang, surrounded a young boy in a wheelchair, pointing and laughing at him.

The tears on the kid’s face meant he wasn’t part of the joke.

Daisy’s heart thudded as she remembered being at the mercy of those who were older, and bigger and had more power.

Maybe it was the sugar and caffeine rush from the frappucino, maybe it was that streak of being a do-gooder ever since she was little, but Daisy charged towards to group, with only one goal- to protect the kid.

* * *

 

“What you looking at, Hot Wheels?”

Gabe, who was already nervous because Robbie was almost an hour late, grew frightened as he took in the men who were now circling around him.

Members of the Fifth Street gang, they were called Locos for a reason.

“Nothing,” Gabe tried to remain calm, and failed.

"We tried to get your big brother to join us,” a guy with greasy long hair, and dirty fingernails spoke up. “He said no.”

“It's that car he drives,” another chimed in, his eyes narrowed as he neared Gabe. “That _cabrón_ thinks he’s better than us.”

Gabe gulped as they circled him. _Robbie, I need you._

“His chair could go for a lot at the pawn shop. He has his brother to drive him around, he won’t miss it.”

The other guys laughed while Gabe panicked, his blood turning to ice, and he couldn't help the tears that fell. Where the hell was Robbie? There was no such thing as good Samaritans in this town, people minded their business and he didn't blame them, he did the same.

One of the goons pushed his chair, and Gabe scrunched his eyes closed, preparing for the worst and making a plan. If they stole his chair, he could maybe call Mr. Wakefield to pick him up and drive him home? But if Mr. Wakefield didn't answer-

"Open your eyes, you blind and a cripple? Damn boy!"

Gabe didn't have time to process the taunts when another person joined the fray.

“Undercover Mall Police,” a feminine voice growled. “Back off. Now.”

Gabe peeked an eye open.

“Hey, it’s all good, Officer,” one of the gang members raised his hands in surrender. “We didn’t mean no harm.”

“Come within three thousand feet of these premises again, and I’ll book you so fast in jail your head will spin.”

That was all the warning the men needed as they dispersed, scampering off.

“Mall security doesn’t have jurisdiction like local police to put people in jail,” Gabe said, his heart beating fast. He always resorted to facts to calm his mind. 

“If you’re so smart, why are you getting roughed up by local gangbangers?” his savior raised an eyebrow.

“My brother was supposed to pick me up,” Gabe said, sheepishly. “Like over an hour ago.”

Daisy’s eyes narrowed, the adrenaline still in her system from her mad caper to make sure the kid in the wheelchair was okay.

“I'll wait till he comes,” she promised, her lips curling.

_And give him a piece of my mind._

* * *

 

Robbie was tearing through the streets of East LA, driving as fast as he could with traffic.

He was way late in picking up Gabe because he’d misread his shift at Canelo’s and since it was a busy Saturday, he couldn’t leave. He’d accidentally left his cell phone at home, so he couldn’t text Gabe that he’d be late. He was screwing up so much lately. The bills were behind, his work shifts were a mess, and he and Gabe had been fighting over everything lately.

“Gabe!” Robbie sprinted out his car, eyes only for his brother. “Are you-”

‘Stay back!”

Robbie blinked at the Boadicea that stood guard at his brother’s side, her arms crossed, glaring.

“Where the hell have you been?”

Robbie’s eyes widened at the accusatory tone. He didn’t have time to really take in the appearance of the girl- just dark long hair, and dark eyes, with clothes that looked like his, from the local Goodwill.

“I asked you a question.”

Robbie stiffened at the jab to his chest. "Leave me-”

"Do you know what could happen around here?" The woman interrupted, clearly not caring for his darkening mood.  “You don’t get to be left alone.”

“Um, Daisy?" Gabe piped up. "He’s all good. That’s my brother I was telling you about?”

Robbie raised an eyebrow at the name. She looked like anything but a delicate flower.

“He’s not all good if he can’t keep his word,” Daisy’s mouth twisted. “I need a moment with your brother.”

Robbie Reyes, who’d left school in the 11th grade and regularly fought with gang members to protect his street, gasped as she pulled him by his jacket and pulled him away, tossing him against his Dodge Charger.

“Listen to me, and listen to me well,” Daisy grabbed him by his throat. “Leave your brother hanging like this again and I will personally meet you outside of Canelo’s and show you what I’m capable of.”

Robbie gasped as her hold tightened even more.

“Do we have an understanding?” Daisy narrowed her eyes as she squeezed his throat. She’d experienced all too often what happened with a guardian didn’t do what they were supposed to, and she was at the mercy of boys who were larger and stronger.

Robbie nodded, as he held her gaze, the fire in her eyes almost a beacon.

“You have my number,” Daisy suddenly turned to Gabe as she let go of Robbie, ignoring how Robbie started coughing. “Call me if you ever need anything.”

And she strode away, with two very impressed Reyes’ behind her.

* * *

   
The next night, Daisy's phone rang as she was on her way to her first job, late as usual.  
  
"I, uh, need help with my router," Gabe said.

"You're too smart for that," Daisy replied cheerfully, looking for her keys. "Try again."

"Um, my Chemistry homework is hard?"

"You're tutoring kids in grades above you." Daisy switched the phone to her other ear. She'd talked a lot with Gabe as they waited for his brother, filing away every bit of information. He was organized, and smart, and ambitious. With the right influences, he would be getting out of the hood.

"I'm scared to be alone, okay." Gabe sounded embarrassed. "After what happened-"

"Say no more," Daisy interrupted. "I'll come by after work. I expect dinner and at least a carbonated beverage." And that night was the first of many where Daisy began hanging out at 3614 Hillrock Lane.

Robbie wasn't there that night- he was at his second job at El Monte's Junkyard- and Daisy, she wolfed down white bread and peanut butter with a store-brand diet soda. They were still hungry and she showed Gabe how to make Chinese fried rice from old white rice in the fridge, an egg, with odds and ends from the vegetable crisper and soy sauce packets. It wasn't gourmet, but something shifted when Daisy turned the scraps into a tasty, hot meal.

"This is the Chinese food I've ever had," Gabe sighed as he inhaled the food. 

Daisy preened under the praise. "When I make it in Silicon Valley, I'll take you out for a steak dinner with champagne."

"Robbie too?"

Daisy huffed and ignored the question. She understood logically that Robbie wasn't to blame for what happened at the mall, but she couldn't help but worry about if she hadn't shown up.

"You know, Robbie dropped out of school to take care of me." Gabe was scraping the last bits of rice into his mouth. "He does his best."

"And if his best isn't good enough?" 

Gabe smiled, finally understanding the root of Daisy's ire. "He's my bother. I love him. Him trying is good enough for me."

Daisy's heart lurched. She was never part of a true family and didn't understand unconditional love.

"We should get you a taser," she changed the subject, grabbing her cell phone. "You need to be able to protect yourself-" And she texted her boss at her night job that she was coming in late because she wasn't going to leave Gabe alone.

* * *

 She and Robbie had made a tenuous truce, but they weren't friends, till one day her phone rang while she was at her weekend job at a big box electronic store.

"Daisy, I need your help with Gabe."

"I'm leaving in ten then I'll be there." And Daisy spent the remaining ten minutes of her shift, and the twenty-minute drive, worrying.

* * *

 That night on the faded couch Robbie and Daisy had a long conversation about Gabe, and for the first time in a long while, Robbie let his guard down.

"I'm messing up," Robbie confessed, turning away from Daisy. "He's having nightmares. Doesn't want to do after school clubs." Robbie's face crumpled. "I'm failing him."

"It's not your fault. He has PTSD-"

"Which I could've prevented!"

"But you couldn't," Daisy reached over and held his hand. "You gotta move forward."

"You think that's easy?" Robbie sniffled. "I can't afford therapy for Gabe. I can't work any more hours without cutting into taking care of Gabe. It's hopeless."

 "Hey." Daisy squeezed his hand. "It's never hopeless. As long as we have life, we have hope."

Robbie pulled his hand away, but he relaxed. "Our parish priest used to say that."

"The nuns at my orphanage used to say it, too." Daisy stood up. "I thought it was all garbage, but now I understand. We're alive. We can make changes."

"Any suggestions?" 

"Let me see what's to eat. I can't think on an empty stomach."

Robbie grinned and followed Daisy to the kitchen. Maybe it was time he let someone else in.

* * *

He made grilled cheese sandwiches and when he asked Daisy if she wanted the crust off, she melted.

"Sure," she said, curious to see what he'd do. He took his time with her toasty grilled cheese,  making sure to save as much as the bread as possible as he took the offending brown crusts off, then started munching on them.

"Gabe likes tomato with them, but I haven't had time to go grocery shopping-" Robbie avoided her eyes, and Daisy knew he was lying.

"Tomatoes are expensive, and they go bad quickly. I don't ever buy them." She bit into her warm sandwich, and her eyes inadvertently closed. "Oh my god, this is so good. I haven't had homemade food in forever."

"It's just white bread and butter and American cheese," Robbie looked embarrassed. "Which isn't  real cheese."

"Yeah, well I haven't had a meal that wasn't a frozen dinner in over a year-"

"You eat frozen dinners?" Robbie looked shocked as if she'd told him she ate frozen children. "You can always come here for dinner. It mightn't be much but it's not filled with sodium and made with fake meat."

They spent the rest of the night arguing over microwave meals vs home cooked food and how it aided the patriarchy and capitalism.

* * *

"I have a plan," Daisy said, weeks later. Her visits to the Reyes now extended to breakfast and staying in between shifts for a nap. "I'm here all the time anyway. Maybe I could start paying rent or-"

"Pay?" Gabe said with a frown. "You need a place to crash?"

"We would never charge you." Robbie grew serious. "I keep telling you, living in a van isn't safe."

"I'm not a freeloader," Daisy pushed away from her plate. She'd had two helpings of spaghetti that Robbie'd made. He'd started using whole wheat penne pasta and ground turkey when she'd confessed it was her favorite meal but it made her feel sick afterward.

Being poor and health conscious was always a battle.

"You watch Gabe for me so I can take on more hours-"

"I'm not a pet. I don't need watching," Gabe said. "If this is about me being in a chair-"

The bothers began squabbling, and Daisy blinked back tears. Robbie and Gabe didn't know it, but she was getting more and more attached like she was a part of their family.

 "Gotta go, guys." Daisy lurched up, then grabbed her jacket and headed to the door. A dark cloud was coming, she could feel it. Because her brain was using Robbie and Gabe to fill in the gaps of being needed, being wanted somewhere.

"Being an orphan sucks," she wiped away tears as she entered her van. She'd been parking close to Robbie and Gabe's house so she could conveniently show up. Like a pathetic stalker. She'd stuck her keys in the engine when tapping on her windshield stopped her. 

 It was Robbie.

"Where are you going?" he asked when she rolled her window down.

"Home," Daisy glared to cover her embarrassment.

"You've been parking under this streetlight for the last month," Robbi said, exasperated, waving to the open road. "You don't have a-" His eyes widened in understanding, just as Daisy's flushed, her shame out in the open. 

"Gotta go," Daisy put her van in gear, and drove away, feeling every inch of their weird, unwanted friend who always tried to fit in and belong but always failed. Gabe and Robbie had each other and knew who their parents were. They'd never understand.

* * *

The city of Los Angeles was piloting a safe parking initiative for the homeless who lived in their vehicles. Providing a security guard for an overnight parking lot was cheaper for the City than homeless shelters, and the only rule was that there was a free parking space between cars.

When an obnoxiously loud car pulled up next to Daisy- a '69 Dodge Charger- she groaned. Of course, that stubborn jerk would follow her.

"What do you want?" she jumped out her van and approached his vehicle. "You can't park here."

"I'm sorry, Daisy," Robbie came out his car and looked around warily, his dark brown eyes filled with worry. "Come home with me and Gabe."

"I don't _have_ a home," Daisy's voice rose. "I'm doing just fine."

"Your home is with me and Gabe. Not in some strange parking lot-"

"Where do you think I've been living for the last year," Daisy shouted, pushing Robbie away. "You complain about your bills and keeping up with everything." She shook her head. "I was raised in an orphanage, and live in my van. I have _never_ had a real home. Ever."

"A home isn't an address, it's where you are with people that love you. You're family." Robbie pushed her back. "So get back in there, and come back."

"I don't want your charity!"

"C'mon Dais. Let's talk about this at home. I made up a room for you."

Daisy hugged herself. "Don't lie-"

"I never lie," Robbie's eyes shone brightly. "It's a three bedroom house, and Gabe sleeps in the living room. We got plenty of space."

"How come this is the first time I'm hearing about this?"

Robbie shrugged and looked at the ground. "I didn't want to sound like a creeper. Asking you to move in."

 "What happens when you get fed up of me, and don't want me around." 

"Then we talk about it. Like a family."

Daisy blinked back tears, as hope bloomed in her chest. That maybe, she'd belong somewhere. 

"Fine," she said. "Since you came all this way."

She walked back to her van and waited for Robbie to pull off so she could follow him.

Follow him _home._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!


End file.
